Ransomware attack forces web hosting provider Managed.com to take servers offline | ZDNet
Managed.com, one of the biggest providers of managed web hosting solutions, has taken down all its servers in order to deal with a ransomware attack, ZDNet has learned today.
SECURITY
Cyber security 101: Protect your privacy from hackers, spies, and the government
Cyber security 101: Protect your privacy from hackers, spies, and the government
Simple steps can make the difference between losing your online accounts or maintaining what is now a precious commodity: Your privacy.
Read More
The attack took place on Monday, November 16, and the ransomware impacted the company's public-facing web hosting systems, resulting in some customer sites having their data encrypted.
Also: The best web hosting providers: Find the right service for your site
Managed.com said the incident only impacted a limited number of customer sites, which the company said it immediately took offline.
But hours after the attack, Managed.com said it also took down its entire web hosting infrastructure, which the company is now working to restore.
This included WordPress and DotNetNuke managed hosting solutions, email servers, DNS servers, RDP access points, FTP servers, and online databases.
Initially, the company passed the attack as unscheduled maintenance but eventually came clean in emails and messages provided by its tech support operators to an ever-increasing number of angry customers.
The company says it is now working with law enforcement to identify the attackers and restore customer systems as soon as possible.
But on online forums, Managed.com customers now fear that their sites will remain down for days or weeks. They cite a similar incident that took place at fellow web hosting provider A2 Hosting in May 2019, from which the company needed more than a month to recover, during which time a large number of customers had to wait for their sites and site data to be restored.
A Managed.com spokesperson did not return a request for comment before this article's publication.
Managed.com now joins a long list of ransomware incidents that have impacted web hosting and data center providers. The list also includes Equinix, CyrusOne, Cognizant, X-Cart, A2 Hosting, SmarterASP.NET, Dataresolution.net, and Internet Nayana.
SECURITY
Cyber security 101: Protect your privacy from hackers, spies, and the government
Cyber security 101: Protect your privacy from hackers, spies, and the government
Simple steps can make the difference between losing your online accounts or maintaining what is now a precious commodity: Your privacy.
Read More
The attack took place on Monday, November 16, and the ransomware impacted the company's public-facing web hosting systems, resulting in some customer sites having their data encrypted.
Also: The best web hosting providers: Find the right service for your site
Managed.com said the incident only impacted a limited number of customer sites, which the company said it immediately took offline.
But hours after the attack, Managed.com said it also took down its entire web hosting infrastructure, which the company is now working to restore.
This included WordPress and DotNetNuke managed hosting solutions, email servers, DNS servers, RDP access points, FTP servers, and online databases.
Initially, the company passed the attack as unscheduled maintenance but eventually came clean in emails and messages provided by its tech support operators to an ever-increasing number of angry customers.
The company says it is now working with law enforcement to identify the attackers and restore customer systems as soon as possible.
But on online forums, Managed.com customers now fear that their sites will remain down for days or weeks. They cite a similar incident that took place at fellow web hosting provider A2 Hosting in May 2019, from which the company needed more than a month to recover, during which time a large number of customers had to wait for their sites and site data to be restored.
A Managed.com spokesperson did not return a request for comment before this article's publication.
Managed.com now joins a long list of ransomware incidents that have impacted web hosting and data center providers. The list also includes Equinix, CyrusOne, Cognizant, X-Cart, A2 Hosting, SmarterASP.NET, Dataresolution.net, and Internet Nayana.
